Switch-controlling system.



G. E. BEACH L H. W. DOUGHTY. SWITGH GONTROLLNG SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 11, 191s.

1,109,657. Patented sept. s, 1914.

isERlE'T-l 48A A WnNEssEs= INVENTORS To all whom it may concern ,uuiriins'rATiis PATENT orricii.

GLARENCE E. BEACH AND HERMAN W. DOUGHTY, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK,ASSIG-NORS TO GEORGE 0. 'KIM-XPP, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

VOriginal application filed October 31, 1910, Serial No. 589,958.Divided and this application filed August 11, 1913. Serial No. 784,225.

Be it known that we, CLARENCE E. BEACH v and HERMAN W. DOUGHTY, ofBinghamton,

in the county of yBroome and State of New York, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Switch-Controlling Sysp tems, of whichthe'following is a specification.

` Our invention relates to systems of controlling switches for. use atthe central oiiices of normally closed circuit signaling systems, as forexample, fire alarml systems in which an automatic repeater is employedin connection with a plurality of signaling circuits, such repeatersbeing so arranged that when the magnets representingv any one signalcircuit become dener gized, the repeater acts to break all of the vothercircuits connected therewith, and

' operation of the therefore especial care must be exercised in\connecting individual circuits to or disconnecting them from such arepeater, to avoid tripping the repeater during suoli operations andthereby sending a false signal over all of the other circuits connectedwith such repeater. ySuch repeaters are further so constructed thatafter having acted to break the circuits connected therewith, they againact after a predetermined period to close their circuit connections,even though the circuit which caused their initial operation is stilldenergized. For reasonswell undei'stood by those skilled. in the art, ithas been the practice, Jrior to our present invention, to provideswitches and a gang rod by meansv of which they could be operated as aunit, so that in the event of its becoming desirable to disconnect anycircuit from the repeater while such circuit was closed, all circuitscould be simultaneously disconnected from such repeater so that none ofthe circuits would bebroken by the resulting,` repeater, and subsequentto the repeater acting to close its circuits, certain circuits could beagain connected lwith the repeater while leaving the desired circuit orcircuits disconnected therefrom.

.INhen the various circuits are thus disconnectcd from an automaticrepeater, it is sometimes desirable that they should be connected inseries with each other, so that breaksEin any,

the flow fof circuit incident to the transinission-oflasignal thereinwould interrupt current through all circuits;

while under certain other circumstances, it -is essential that thecircuits be not only disconnected from the repeater, but that theylshall not be connected to each other, as for example, when one or moreof the circuits are grounded or crossed with some foreignl circuit. Tomeet both of these conditions, controlling switches have beenconstructed, having movable members adapted to connect with any one ofthree sets of contacts, and constructed so that when passing from oneset of contacts to another they would connect with the second set ofcontacts before breaking from the'first. Means have also been providedfor simultaneously moving a plurality of these switches either to aposition where the signaling circuits are connected in series with eachother or to a position where theyare left independent of each other,being disconnected from the l,automatic repeater in both positions; and

`\ between such two positions, a position has lbeeii supplied, providingfor the separate connection of such circuits to the automatic repeater.Considerable difiiculty has been experienced in the use of suchswitches, due tothe fact that it is frequently necessary to manipulatethese switches at a time when the operator must act in great haste orunder stress vof excitement, and the repeater con.- nection positionbeing intermediate between the two cutout positions, it has been foundlto require the. exercise of an undesirable degree of care tolinovetheseswitchcs to the position operatively connecting the circuitswith the repeater and' stop the switches eX- actly in such position, itbeing evident that if any of the 'switches are inoved beyond thisposition, from either of their extreme positions, such circuits arefirst connected to the repeater and then disconnected therefrom, therebycausing the transmission of a false signal over all other circuitsconnected with the repeater. It has likewise been found very diiicult tomove a plurality of these switches simultaneously, from either of thepositions which they occupy while the repeater is disconnected, withouteither moving some of the switches too far, .und thus tripping therepeater and leaving such circuits disconnected,'wlien the position oftheir switches apparently indicates that they are connected to therepeater, or else ,fail-v to properly connect lpeater.

An obj their circuits to the reect of this invention is to providey.improved switch controlling means whereby of a suitable actuatingmember, and so that any desired switch -or switches may be detached fromsuoli actuating; member and either moved independently or adjusted toperm-it the movementof said actuating ineinber without moving suchswitches, and further providing means whereby when such 'actuating meanshas moved any or all of said switches to an abnormal position where thecircuits represented by such switches are disconnected from theaepeater,the number of switches responsive to the operationof the actuating meansmaybe either increased or'decreased, and thereupon all responsiveswitches may be quickly moved to the posi- Y tion wheretheir circuitswill be operatively connected to the repeater, without danger of,over-running such position in the instance 'of any individual switch,and therefore without danger of either rendering the connection betweenany circuit and the repeater inoperative or causing a false stroke to besounded on any of the circuits controlled by the repeater.

, jects, we provide A further object of tliis invention is to Yprovidemeans whereby the actuating n iechanism may be so adjusted as topositively arrest the motion of anyswitch or switches .when moved to theposition where they conneet their circuitsin operative relation to 'therepeater, thereby permitting such switches to Vbe individually movedquickly .and accurately from a position which disconnects their circuitsfrom the repeater to the position which operatively .connects them,without danger of over-running such position;

' For the fullment of the foregoing oba switch operating bar havingautomatic means for loc ki1 it whenit vis moved to itsnormal positionandpermitting said'ba'r to be released for movement to one of itsabnormal'positionswithout leaving it free to be moved to its otherabnormal position, and such detachable means for fco'nnecting switchesfor a plurality of circuits to the bar, that any or all of said switchesmay be sir'niiltaiieously operated by means of said bar; that any switchin an abnormal position may be adjusted to be automatically locked to4prevent .oversition.

running when it is moved to its normal po- In order that our inventionmay bebetter understood, we show, in the drawings accompanying andforming partv of this speciL iication, a form of our controlling systemwhich is suited to be applied to a municipal lire-alarm .switchboart'o'i adjust switc es vsuch as are shown in the co-pending' applicationSerial No.- 589,958 filed October 31, 1910, of which this is a division.Only the mechanical apparatus is herein shown and described as theelectrical arrangement and operation of such switches are described indetail and claimed in said co-pending application. It is evident thatour invention is equally well adaptedfor use with other classes ofcircuits and we therefore do not desire'to limit ourselves to the formor arrangement of parts shown in the drawings and hereinafter described,as various changes in form and arrangement, and the insertion oromission of various parts, may be made without departing from the-spirit o-f our invention.

In the drawings forming part of this specification and in which likenumerals of reference are used througliout:-Figure 1 is a frontelevation of a portion of a switchboard equipped with our controllingswitches; Fig. 2 is an enlarged section of a portion of Fig. 1; Fig. 3is a section Von the line AeA of Fig. 1 with the bolt in position toengage the yoke of the ganor switch and Fig. 4 is a section of the partss own in Fig. 3 with the bolt withdrawn.

Referring to Fig. 1, the gang switches 5, 6 and 7, one for each circuit,each comprises the switch arms 8, 9 and l0, which are mounted on thepivots 11, 12 and 13 respectively, and three contact points for eacharm, those showing'in the figure being 14C and 15' y for arm 8 and Q1and 22 foriarni 10. These contact points are so spaced iand constructedthat when one of the switch arms 8, 9 or 10 is moved from one of saidcontact points with which it engages to another, such arm will not ceaseto be in contact with one of such contact points until it is in contactwith the other. The yokes 23 madeof insulating material are provided andconnected to the .freeends of the said switch arms and the stops 25 arerovided for limiting the travel lof said switc es.

In signaling systems employing a transmitting or repeating signalinginstrument, it is usual to provide switches whereby all thecircuits'can, be simultaneously connected to 0r disconnected'from suchinstrument; and

when so disconnected be either in series with each other, orbv use of a.separate set of connectedv from each other, and -to'provide whileleaving .thecthers connected thereto.

vswitches be leftin parallel with. anddis- 12 5 By. thens'e O f thevsystem' o f wiring shown in 130v vided with slots 47 which slots are ofsuchv the divisional application in connection with the mechanism shownherein, all of these results are accomplished with the use, of the oneset of gang switches.

The yo'kes23 are provided with notches 43 (see ligs. l, 3 and 4) adaptedto be engaged by the bolts 44, mounted in the slee-ves carried by thebar 46. The bar 46 is prowidth as to permit the Abody of the screw 48 topass through freely, and of such lengthas to permit the bar 46 to havethe necessary i longitudinal travel. The posts 49 (see Fig. y 2) aremounted in suitable relation to the yoke's 23 so that when the bar 46 isattached to said osts by vmeans-of the screws 48 the travel o the bolts44 will be coincident with the travel of the notches 43.l The arm 50 is'pivoted at 5l and is provided at its free end with the handle 52 andis. connected to the bar 46 by the bolt 53. r)The sleeves 45 areprovided with a recess containing the spring 55, one end of which springrests against the shoulder 45 of the sleeve 45, and the other end ofsaid spring 55 presses against the shoulder 44 formed on th bolt 44 (seeFigs. 3 and 4) 'thus tending to move saidbolts into a position wherethey will engage the notches 43. A slot 54 is provided in one wall ofthe sleeves 45 and the pins 56 carried by the bolts 44=are arranged tomove in the s ot 54, thusproviding a limit :tor the travel of said bolts44 in the direction of theeyokes Said slots 54 are of such length that,when the bolts 44 are fully Withdrawn from the pathof the notches 43,the pins 56 mayl be fully withdrawn romthe slots 54, and thereupon thebolts 44inay be held out of engagement with the notches 43 by turningsaid bolts 44 so as to bring the pins 56 out of line with the slots 54(see Fig. 4); the

knobs 57 being provided for the purpose of operating the bolts 44.

The spring catches 58 and 58l (see Figs. 1 and 2) are provided-at theirfree ends. with the operating knobs 59 and 59 respectively; `the springcatch 58 being mounted upon the bar 46 in such relation to the head ofone of the screws 48 as to tend to engage therewith whenever it isattempted to move the bar 46 from its normal position (where theengagement of the bolts 44 with the notches 43 would cause the yolres 23to hold the respective switch arms in engagement -with their centralcontact points) to the position where the engagement of said bolts 44and notches 43 would cause said switch arms to be brought into contactwith their corresponding lett hand contact points; and the spring catch58 is so mounted upon the bar 46 as to tend to' engage with the head ofone ot the screws48 whenever it is attempted to move "said bar 46 fromits normal position, hereinbeforef described, to the 'position where, bymeans of the engagement of the bolts 44 with the notches 43, the variousswitch arms wou-ld be brought into contact with their correspondingright hand contact points. The spring catches58'and 58 are of such formand material that they are sniiiciently flexible. to permit their freeends being sprung away. from the-bar 46 by their knobs 59 and 59', sothat the heads of the screws 48 will not obstruct the movement of saidcatches, and they will thus permit the bar 46 to move longitudinally.

XV hen all the parts are in their normal positions, the bar -46 islocked by the engagement ofthe free ends of the spring catches 58 and 58with their respective screws 48, the bolts 44 are projecting into thenotches 43, and the gang switches 5, G and 7 are therebypositively heldin the position where their switch arms are resting upon their centralcontact 'points (see switch 7, Fig.' l). In this position thecircuitvrepresented by the switch is connected to the corresponding unitof the repeater. It' it is desired to disconnect all the circuits tromthe repeater andso connect said circuits together that they will formone series circuit, this can be d one by disengaging the vspring catch58, by means of the knob 59 from the head of the screw 48 with which itnormally engages, and then moving the arm 50 to the right (toward theseries indication), by means of the handle 52, and

thus moving the bar 46 and the switches 5,

6 and 7, which are connected to said bar 46 by means of the bolts 44until the arms 10 ot said switchesv5, Gand 7 have been moved tothe rightuntil they are brought against their stop-pins 25 (see switch 5 iii Fig.1). If it is desired to disconnect all the circuits from the repeaterand leave all of such circuits disconnected from each other, this can bedone by disengagiiig the .spring catch 58, by means of the knob 59, fromthe head of the screw 48 with which it normally engages, and then movingthe arm 50 to the left (toward the parallel indication), by means ofthehandle 52, and

, thus moving the bar 46-and the switches 5,

6, and 7 until their arms 8 have been moved to the left until they arebrought against their stop-pins 25 (see switch 6 in Fig. l).

If. it is desired to simultaneously disconnect all the circuits from therepeater and then again connect all but a certain detective circuit orcircuits with the repeater, tor reasons which arc well understood bythose skilled in this art, this can be quickly and conveniently done bydisengagiiig the spring catch 58, by means of thel knob 59, ironi theAhead of .the'screw 48 with which it normally engages, and then movingthe arm 50 to the left, by means ot thehandle o2, until the switch arms8 of thegangvswitches 5, 6 and 7 have been moved tothe leftpuntilptheyare brought againsttheirl Astop-,pms 25, then withdraw the bolt-44 ofsuch'circuit or circuits as it is desired to leave disconnected and turnsuch bolts 44 so that their pins 56 will -not be in line with'the slots54, and the' 5 bar 46 may then be returned to its normal so that its pin56 is i line with the slot 54' provided therefor, the bolt then beingmoved against the fiat surface'of the yoke 23 by the spring 55. The yoke23 may now be moved from the left-hand position tol the normal orrepeater position and the bolt 44 will enter the'notch 43. When theswitchreaches its normal position, and the'bar 46 being vlocked againstmovement, the movement of this switch will be arrested; and it will beprevented from moving too far.`

When the arm 50 has been moved t0 one of its abnormal positions, itmaybe rapidly returned to its normal position without fear fof moving itApast its normal position, as its motion will be arrested whenv itreaches its normal position by the engagement of either the'spring catch58 or 58 with a corresponding one of the screws 4S.

It it is desired to operate one of the gang switches witlioutmovingany-of the others, this can be done by first withdrawingthe 'bolt 44provided for actuating lsuch gang switch, 'and then moving suchswitcli-by l means of one of thereon.

`lVlien the bar 46 is in its normal position,

any gan switch which stands in abnormal 40 i mal position without fearof moving it past its normal position, as its motion'will be ar restedwhen it reaches its normal position by the engagementof the bolt 44 withits .corresponding s101343. l 1

Te are aware that prior to' our present invention, controlling systemshave been used which have been made with a gang switch forsimultaneously controllingthe connection between'each of a number ofcir- -vcuits and theirl respective signal responsive instruments, andswitches foreach of such circuits whereby any of such circuits may be'taken from the control of the gang switch; and we are further aware, inconstructing some of such gang switches provision was made whereby theindividual switches com'- prising such gangs could be separatelyoperated. lVe therefore do not claim such combinations broadly; but

-lVliat we claim is: Y 1. The combination with a series of h s 'of adetachable common actuating fixed abutments, oppositely arranged eviceson said actuating means northe' knobs 24 providedy position may bereadily returned to its norvmally engaging said abutments, and arrangement of saidgstop devices to be capable vof separate disengagementfrom said abut- .'means, fixed abutments, two oppositely arranged stopdevices on said actuating means arranged to simultaneously engage saidabutments and thereby lock the actuating means against movement ineither direction, andva-rrangement of saidstop devices-to be capable ofseparate disengagement from said abutments. A

4.,-A series of switches, each capable of yoccupying either of twoeXtreme positions or one intermediate or normal position, a commonactuating means for said switches,

-mechanism 'adapted to automatically loch' said common actuating meansin normal position when moved thereto from either er# treme position,and detachable' connecting means between said actuating means andl 'eachof said switches constructed and ar ranged to be adjusted to lock eachof the' switches in a certain position whenthe actuating means iS lockedin a certain position.

l5. The combination withv a series 1 of switches of a detachable commonactuating means, two latches 'controlling said actuating means,arrangement of one latch to tend normally to prevent movement of' theactuating means in one direction, and arrangement of the other latch totend normally to pre vent movement of `the actuating means in the otherdirection. y

6.` The combination with a series of switches of a detachable commonactuating means, two latches arranged to hold said actuating "means inintermediate position, arrangement of one of said latches whereby it maybe disengaged to permit movement of c the actuating means in onedirection, and

arrangement of the other of said .latches whereby it may. be disengagedto permit movement of the actuating means in the other direction. 4'

7. A series of switches, cach capable of occupying either of two extremepositions or' one intermediate or normal position, a com.

mon actuating means for said switchcs,'4

fixed abutinents, oppositely arranged stop devices on said actuatingmeans normally engaging said abutments, arrangement of said stop devicesto;.be capable of separate disengagement from hsaid abutments, and' isoMesem 5 detachable connectingfnleans between sac scribed our names thisSth day of August, actuatlng means and each of sind swltches A. D.,1918.

constructed and arranged to be adjusted to CLARENCE E. BEACH.

lock each of the Aswitches n a certain pos- HERMAN W. DCUGHTY. 5 tionwhen thevaetuating means is locked in ,Vitnesses:

a cert-ain position. `W. R. GOUDYS In Witness whereof, We have hereuntosnh- `W. T. KENDALL BROWN.

